Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government is planning to establish a benchmark price equivalent to the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for non-ragi millets, such as foxtail millet and little millet, which are not currently procured under the MSP.
The introduction of this price system for non-ragi millets will be a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country, said Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Principal Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, on the occasion of Mandia Dibasa during the International Convention on Millets 2023.
The mechanism like benchmark pricing, aims to encourage farmers to cultivate more non-ragi millets. Traders or government agencies will then procure the produce based on the benchmark price set by the government. Padhee also added that the government will soon formulate a policy roadmap, known as the Bhubaneswar Declaration on Millets, incorporating suggestions received from all stakeholders during the International Convention on Millets.
“Our two-day International Convention on Millets received a fantastic response from various stakeholders, including farmers, Women Self-Help Groups, researchers, scientists, UN representatives, and experts from across the globe. We are pleased that they have all appreciated our Millets Mission model. We will soon formulate a policy roadmap titled the Bhubaneswar Declaration on Millets, incorporating the suggestions of all stakeholders. The policy roadmap will not only be applicable to Odisha but also to other states and countries across the globe,” he said.
To revive ancient cereals like millets, the Odisha Millets Mission was launched in 2017 with the aim of improving productivity and promoting household-level consumption. Over the last few years, there has been an observed increase in millet farming and awareness. “The Odisha Millet Mission (OMM) has initiated many programs to spread awareness of the nutritional value of millets and encourage cultivation. Over the last five years, we have observed a growing trend in awareness and the cultivation area,” Padhee pointed out.
